Moreover, we suggest that the short P2X7-dependent activation of autophagy demonstrated in vitro in SOD1-G93A microglia could be related to the beneficial role of P2X7 activation occurring during the early phase of the disease, when genetic ablation of P2X7 elicits detrimental consequences on ALS phenotype (Apolloni et al., 2013a). The gene discussed is SOD1; the disease is amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.